If you’ve followed along with Tea Thoughts, you’ll know that I’m a Christmas lover! Christmas has special meaning to me, more for the connection and festivities that come with it. I wrote more about what Christmas means to me here.

There are so many things I love about the holiday season and lead up to Christmas so I’m going to share them all with you!

I would also like it to be known that I’m one of the only people in my family who has had this obsession with Christmas but over the years have pulled friends and family over to my side. Evil Cackle

Christmas Movies: I start watching christmas movies in November! In November, I will mostly watch the corny, hallmark type romantic ones and leave my favorite ones for December. Even the corny movies, are always feel-good. They’re a little bit of happiness and always share the magic of the season. My all time favorite movie is The Grinch with Jim Carey. I also love Polar Express, Max Fleisher Christmas Cartoons, A Christmas Carol and in recent years, the new movie Klaus. Don’t get me wrong, there are so many others that I love but those are my top favs.
Christmas Music: I know this is something that people are very on the fence about. How annoying it is that it’s played everywhere and how it’s played “too early”. I totally understand people’s differences on this subject, but for me personally, it’s the same as the movies. The songs are usually very cheery and put a little pep in my step. I don’t always relate to the ones with religious themes but usually they’re still nice to listen to. My favorite person to hear sing Christmas songs is hands down, Nat King Cole!
Christmas Tree: One of my absolute favorite things to do is to go to a local Christmas tree lot to pick a tree and decorate it! It’s always so beautiful to see them in person and be able to touch the branches. Many times, this is a great way to support a local or small farm as well. Bringing the tree home, strapped to the top of the car is always an adventure. Bringing it up and adding lights and ornaments is possibly my favorite part. I have so many ornaments that I’ve had since my childhood/young adulthood and remember fondly my family members who gifted them to me or where I purchased them. Getting to plug in the tree in the evening and in the morning before the sun rises brings me so much joy.
Baking: If you’ve never explored the recipes on my blog you may not know this but I love to bake and cook! Baking is something I’m especially fond of for the holiday season. Our family has a few favorite cookie recipes and decorating sugar cookies is one of my favorite activities! I also bake to gift! It’s so much fun baking a bunch of cookies and gifting them to people because what’s a better gift than a yummy treat you can eat?!
Wrapping Gifts: Buying and making presents is fun but my favorite is definitely the wrapping part. Every year, I search for a penguin wrapping paper and fun ribbon to use. This year I found this beautiful penguin wrapping paper with embossed snowflakes! I also Purchased this fun ribbon that is in the shapes of trees, snowflakes and ho ho ho. When I was younger, I always wanted to volunteer with those gift wrappers in the mall, I thought that was the best job ever.
Christmas Cards: As a snail mail lover, it’s probably no surprise that I love sending out Christmas cards. I love to create a card with a nice photo of my partner and I or multiple photos of him and I. Even when I was younger, I used to take some sort of christmas themed photo and send it to relatives! Even if it’s not feasible to send gifts to every member of my family because of how big it is, I can send them a card to let them know that I’m thinking about them, that I love them and that I miss them. I love to hand write all the addresses and in the past I’ve purchased vintage stamps in bulk and had fun creating collages on the envelopes with them!
Christmas lights: In the last few years, these outings have happened a little less because of COVID but hopefully that will change this year! Around the DC/MD area, there are a lot of great places to see lights beyond neighbors! It’s so beautiful to see the types of displays people come up with.
Sausage Bread: I saved the best for last! I admittedly hesitated on sharing this one because I view it as a family secret but I got permission from my sister to share :D Many Christmases ago, my sister and brother in law made us sausage bread on Christmas morning. This is a recipe from my brother in law’s family. Without giving away too much of the secret, sausage bread is exactly what it sounds like and the most delicious treat especially on Christmas morning. We became obsessed to the point where Christmas morning isn’t complete without sausage bread. I have even asked for it as a gift on my birthday which is shortly after Christmas. The warm and hearty meal is the perfect thing on Christmas morning. My sister and brother in law always have a beautiful spread of other food things, tea, coffee, hot cocoa and some of us even like to indulge in a bailey’s and jameson drink. Next to the Christmas tree, gathering together on Christmas morning and enjoying sausage bread (veggie sausage for mom!) is my favorite Christmas tradition. I don’t think Christmas would be the same without it!

If you also celebrate/love Christmas, let me know what your favorite parts are!